A social center in Milwaukee Wisconsin

MYSTERIOUS RABBIT PUPPET ARMY

Join us as we welcome a travelling puppet show set to perform a history of the Prison Industrial Complex from slavery to where it is today. The roadshow “What Are Prisons For?” is a product of the Mysterious Rabbit Puppet Army, whose past work highlighted security culture in the midst of the feds and cops working to quash anti-government sentiment.

The tour uses shadow puppetry to raise awareness about the Prison Industrial Complex and the ways in which police and policing hurt people and neighborhood relations.

“Our goal in this tour is to use art to explore these relationships and brainstorm with our audiences how we can fight this brutally racist system,” said Mysterious Puppeteer Michael Snacks.

The United States currently imprisons nearly 3 million people. About 6.5 million people are presently under some form of supervision within the criminal justice system. Racism continues to be a major factor in the United States, illustrated by policies and programs that sustain white supremacy. Racism, as it is used through criminal laws that target people of color, is essential to prisons, not accidental. The Prison Industrial Complex is also fuelled by dramatic and racist reporting about “crime,” “delinquency,” and “rebellion,” creating a culture of fear. As a result, people (primarily people of color, youth, and the poor) are locked in cages for longer and longer in the interests of “public safety.” The way the many parts of the Prison Industrial Complex interact is exactly what makes it so powerful and destructive. In order to fight this system, we have to recognize what drives and shapes it.”

These shows are youth-friendly and we greatly encourage you to bring younger folks to this event.